Click and Collect store service top 10 tips

Click and Collect store service top 10 tips

Click works…now about that collect?

The increase in the popularity of Click and Collect needs no further explanation or statistical analysis. What’s now happening is that more often than not the consumer has a choice of who to purchase their goods from.

According to JDA/YouGov data published January 2015, of the 2,400 shoppers surveyed, 61% of those that used Click and Collect cited avoiding delivery charges as their biggest motivation and 53% cited the greater convenience offered.

Price is always going to be a major factor, but for today’s busy consumer convenience has an undeniable attraction.

Two retailers offering the same goods for collection, at a similar price to a consumer creates a decision point for the customer. A bad collection, wasted time and stress will mean they wont quickly choose to collect from that retailer again.

Here’s our Click and Collect store service top 10 tips:

Make it clear where Click and Collect customers should go on entering the store, it’s meant to be service not a puzzle!

Give them their own service (maybe even name it) with a clear focal point that looks the same in every store, is easily recognisable and easy to find. The quicker a customer feels at ease and is being looked after the quicker they are going to consider making a purchase in store.

Avoid making Click and Collectors join queues… they didn’t queue on-line so why make them do it in store.

Be mindful of the many different reasons customers chose to Click & Collect in store. Some may have wanted to secure that “must have” item but plan to browse. Others may purely want to be in & out as fast as possible.

Don’t force Click and Collect customers to jump through hoops in store designed to get them to spend more money. Making them navigate 3 floors until finding a small sign at the very back of the store will only serve to annoy them.

Click and Collect customers who have not yet got their hands on their goods in the store are like horses with blinkers….focused on one thing…. completing their collection. A fast and efficient collection removes these blinkers and enables customers to be receptive to browsing your store and succumbing to impulse purchases.

Don’t create a queue of two. Making customers collect by waiting around to talk to someone because as soon as another person arrives you have created a queue. Allow customer to check in quickly and effortlessly using digital technology that tell them them they are good to go and staff are looking after them. Then nobody feels like they are in a queue.

If possible offer a Drive Thru collection service. Busy parents, commuters, elderly, disabled and basically anybody who’s life is one long rush (isn’t everyone’s?) appreciates the convenience of collecting without having to leave their vehicle. There are also huge potential benefits for stores to attract people who pass by a store every day but don’t normally shop there.

Make collection simple and stress free for your store staff, they will in turn pass this on to your customers.

Don’t fear technology to help both staff and customers through the collection journey. These customers are already digitally engaged (they ordered on-line after all) so let them continue their digital journey when they arrive in your store.